To make the tomato sauce, heat a tablespoon of the olive oil and saute half the onions and garlic for a minute until translucent. Add the tomato paste and the oregano and allow the paste to rust for a couple minutes. Add the can of tomatoes and the sugar, and stir through. Allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes, until it starts to reduce. This can be done ahead of time, and you can store any extra for other uses.

Bring heavily salted pasta water to boil. Cook the fennel for 5 minutes in the boiling water and then remove with a slotted spoon. Cook the pasta in the fennel water for a minute short of the package instructions, and reserve some pasta water when it’s done.

Meanwhile, simmer the remaining onion and garlic in a tablespoon of the olive oil until softened. Add the fennel and allow to cook together for a few minutes, until any moisture in the pan has evaporated. Remove to a bowl.

Coat the sardine pieces in the flour by tossing together. You don’t have to be too careful with this, you’re not breading each piece. Pour half the remaining olive oil into the pan and saute the sardines in the oil until they start to brown. Add the anchovies and the cooked vegetables. and toss together. Allow to cook together for 5-6 minutes until everything starts to come together.

Add the tomato sauce, reserving some in case you don’t need all of it. Add the raisins, pine nuts, and saffron water and stir to combine. Toss in the spaghetti along with a 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Allow to cook together for 3-4 minutes, adding more sauce or water depending on if it’s too dry or too thick. Off the heat, drizzle the remaining olive oil and the parsley.

If you would like to add toasted breadcrumbs, and it’s highly encouraged– Italians use breadcrumbs on seafood pasta like they would parmesan on other pasta– I recommend making your own. Grind up some bread (any kind without things added like raisins or olives) in a food processor. Toast in a dry pan with a drizzle of olive oil until golden brown. You can also use panko breadcrumbs to toast, but I prefer homemade.